Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorMarch 27, 2014

I’m beginning to think that Adam Putnam is just about the only grown-up in Tallahassee. Which is ironic because Putnam, Florida’s commissioner of agriculture, isn’t even 40 yet. But he’s served in the Florida and U.S. Houses of Representatives and as agriculture commissioner has demonstrated that — future ambitions aside — he’s at least looking […]

Guest AuthorMarch 13, 2014

As the Florida Legislature gets underway this week, a couple of bills have been introduced with the laudable intent of keeping down the cost of higher education at state schools. One (SB 732) would provide savings for families who buy the state’s tuition prepayment plan, which would not directly affect the schools’ funding from the […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 20, 2014

One of the most bitter and painful religious controversies in American history was waged between 1979 and roughly 1995 in the Southern Baptist Convention. Known as the “conservative resurgence,” among other names, it was an internal political fight for control of the convention’s leadership, its agencies and its seminaries, with a conservative wing that had […]

Guest AuthorFebruary 12, 2014

You may remember the novelty song from the 70s, “The Cover of the Rolling Stone,” in which the band complains that although they’ve hit it big, they still haven’t gotten their picture on the cover of the rock music and culture magazine. So guess who graces the cover of the Feb. 15 issue of the […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 30, 2014

In the new film Inside Llewyn Davis, the title character is a misanthropic folk singer trying none too successfully to make a living in Greenwich Village in 1961. In desperation, he tries out for a Chicago record company owner, who promptly dashes his hopes. Davis bitterly mentions a promising young folk singer, and the owner […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 15, 2014

As is usually the case in these incidents, the fatal shooting of a man at a movie theater in suburban Tampa this week involved way too many “shouldn’t haves.” Press reports based on police statements and witness interviews sketch the following scenario. Chad Oulson and his wife were sitting in a row in front of […]

Guest AuthorJanuary 2, 2014

The newest university in the state, Florida Polytechnic, is under construction in Polk County, with several hundred new students already lined up for classes scheduled to begin later this year. It is projected to be a showpiece for science and technology education and research, perhaps the kernel of new Silicon Valley-like corridor along I-4. So […]

Guest AuthorDecember 26, 2013

If you like heavyweight bouts, the citizens of Lakeland have been treated to a six-month knockdown match, and it isn’t over yet. In one corner, we have some city officials — Police Chief Lisa Womack, City Manager Doug Thomas and Mayor Gow Fields. In the other corner is the state attorney for the 10th Judicial […]

Guest AuthorDecember 19, 2013

From the folks at the Pew Research Center, these survey results just in: Only about half of Americans (51 percent) consider Christmas a religious holiday. Almost a third (32 percent) consider it a cultural holiday. My reaction: Gee, ya think? I attended a staff luncheon this week at my place of employment, a nominally Christian […]

Guest AuthorDecember 5, 2013

Dear Peter, First, a word of thanks. Those of us who are veterans of the opinion website Florida Voices were pleased when you picked up the remnants of that failed experiment, created Context Florida and made it work. You offer us modest payment for our opinions, and it’s a great platform for an assortment of […]

Tag: Cary McMullen

Cary McMullen: Kudos to Putnam for trying to get money to fix schools

Cary McMullen: Holding the line on higher education costs

Cary McMullen: A survey of Florida Southern Baptists may surprise you

Cary McMullen: Pope Francis doesn’t belong to the left or the right

Cary McMullen: So long, Pete, it’s been good to know ya

Cary McMullen: He shouldn’t have had a gun in a movie theater

Cary McMullen: GOP paradox: promote science classes, reject evolution

Cary McMullen: A resolution for Lakeland’s commissioners: find a spine

Cary McMullen: Pew survey shows Christmas losing religious value

Cary McMullen: An open letter to Peter Schorsch